Chapter 71: Oborotsuki Is Also Very Tired and Works Very Hard, Okay!
Upon returning to Kirigakure, Kushina still looked preoccupied.
Oborotsuki spent some time carefully explaining everything about Orochimaru to her, and only then did she finally let it go.
"What's wrong? Missing someone?"
Oborotsuki asked with a teasing smile.
Kushina fell silent for a few seconds before lifting her head and giving him a soft, reproachful look:
"Missing who? I'm already your woman now…"
"I just… never expected that even one of the Sannin—Orochimaru—would betray the village."
Kushina let out a quiet sigh.
"The power struggles in Konoha are probably even more brutal than in Kirigakure."
"Did Minato really become the Fourth Hokage purely because everyone supported him…?"
Oborotsuki muttered meaningfully to himself.
The speaker had no ulterior motive, but Kushina, listening nearby, felt her heart stir once again.
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. It has nothing to do with us."
Oborotsuki finished with a playful grin, and his hands immediately began to wander.
In an instant, Kushina shrank back slightly, giving him a resentful glare:
"It's still broad daylight… Naruto isn't asleep yet."
"What's wrong with broad daylight?"
"At worst, they'll just hear us."
Seeing Kushina's half-shy, half-reluctant expression only made Oborotsuki more excited.
His movements grew even bolder.
"Wait… let me put Naruto to sleep first…"
Kushina's face flushed red. She turned and carried Naruto into the room.
…
Oborotsuki sat on the rooftop enjoying the breeze, with Yūhi Kurenai beside him.
Each of them held a bottle of sake.
The intense battle earlier had left both satisfied and somewhat exhausted. Now they sat in silence, simply drinking without speaking.
Oborotsuki's mind was on other matters.
He carefully calculated and concluded that his current rate of progress was still too slow.
He decided he needed to find ways to obtain more system rewards and become even stronger.
But Uchiha Mikoto was far away in Konoha—running back and forth was too troublesome.
There were suitable candidates right beside him who could help him grow.
With that thought, Oborotsuki tilted his head back, finished the rest of his sake in one gulp, and stood up.
"Where are you going?"
Kurenai asked curiously.
"To interrogate a prisoner."
Oborotsuki said seriously, then jumped off the roof.
Watching him head out to work again even at this late hour, Kurenai felt a pang of heartache:
"Kirigakure really… don't they have anyone else?"
"Everything has to be done personally by Oborotsuki… he's also very tired and works very hard, okay!"
Muttering complaints to herself, Kurenai tilted her head back and took a big swig of sake.
She secretly decided to find a chance to have a proper talk with Terumī Mei.
At the very least, she should stop giving Oborotsuki so much work.
"If he keeps being this busy… he won't even have time for family…"
As she spoke, Kurenai unconsciously lowered her head and gently touched her belly.
"If I have a baby in the future, I definitely don't want him to be away from home all the time!"
With that, she took another drink.
…
On his way to the ANBU prison, Oborotsuki happened to run into Ishiki Risa, who had just returned to the village.
At this moment, Risa looked utterly exhausted.
After several days and nights of travel—from Kirigakure to the daimyō's capital for official reporting,
Then rushing back non-stop to report to Terumī Mei,
She was now so tired that she could collapse and sleep the moment she saw a bed.
But the instant she saw Oborotsuki, Risa immediately straightened up:
"Lord Oborotsuki…"
"Oh, Risa. Back so soon."
"You must be exhausted. You've really worked hard."
Oborotsuki smiled warmly as he walked over and gently stroked Risa's fair, soft cheek with his hand.
This natural gesture instantly made Risa freeze. Her expression became dazed, completely overwhelmed and flustered.
Her heart pounded wildly, her breathing quickened.
The anxiety and uncertainty were written all over her face, clearly visible in the flickering light of her wide, dark eyes.
"Anyway, go rest."
"I'll come see you later."
Oborotsuki's palm lingered on her silky cheek as he gave her a bright, sunny, warm smile.
Then he turned and left.
"T-Thank you for your concern! Lord Oborotsuki!"
It took Risa several seconds to snap out of her daze, as if released from a binding spell. She hurriedly turned and called after Oborotsuki's departing figure.
…
When the prison door opened and Oborotsuki walked in with a somewhat cruel smile on his face,
Uzuki Yūgure's gaze immediately turned toward him.
Their eyes met. She slowly closed hers:
"It's useless."
"Even if you kill me, I won't tell you any intelligence!"
"Oh…"
Oborotsuki nodded casually:
"If you don't speak for a day, I'll punish you ten times."
"Let's see how long your mouth stays shut."
"Today, I'm definitely going to make you talk!"
With that, Oborotsuki grabbed a pair of shackles from the side, dragged Yūgure over, and chained her up against the wall.
This time, I'm definitely getting a reward.
Oborotsuki roared inwardly like a starving wolf and raging tiger.
…
In a hidden underground space,
Pain's Deva Path used the Thought Wave to contact Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and Uchiha Obito.
He reported Orochimaru's defection to the "Uchiha Madara" before him.
"There's one more thing I need to report."
"The Three-Tails sealed inside the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure has gone berserk."
"From the situation at the scene, Hōzuki Oborotsuki assisted Uzumaki Kushina in resealing the Three-Tails. The new Three-Tails Jinchūriki is now Uzumaki Kushina."
"This means two tailed beasts have now fallen into Hōzuki Oborotsuki's hands."
"Should we consider taking action regarding this matter?"
Black Zetsu looked toward Obito and asked.
There were only nine tailed beasts in the entire ninja world. Now two of them were in the hands of an enemy.
To realize the Moon's Eye Plan and cast Infinite Tsukuyomi, they needed the power of all nine tailed beasts.
With this development, their plan could no longer be completed.
"Again… Hōzuki Oborotsuki…"
After hearing Black Zetsu's report, Obito's eyes narrowed. Murderous intent flashed violently.
"Have you found any leads on the locations of the other tailed beasts?"
He clenched his fist, stayed silent for a few seconds, then quickly calmed down and looked toward Black Zetsu.
"We've only confirmed the basic distribution of the nine tailed beasts among the ninja villages. Their exact locations and current jinchūriki are still unknown."
Black Zetsu answered.
"Continue investigating the whereabouts of the other tailed beasts!"
"Also, Black Zetsu—use your clones to closely monitor all movements in Kirigakure!"
"Hōzuki Oborotsuki doesn't know the true use of the tailed beasts. He doesn't possess the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path either. Even if the Three-Tails and Nine-Tails are in his hands, we don't need to worry too much."
"If he manages to collect even more tailed beasts—it would actually be better for us!"
"Then we can sit back and reap the rewards—wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"
With that, Obito narrowed his eyes again.
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